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Love in 60 seconds: The bite-sized soap operas you can’t stop watching
Wanda Brewer was grieving. After losing her brother, she found comfort in an unexpected place: a soap-opera-esque story on Instagram told in 60-second increments. The story? A mafia boss torn between power, family and love.
Wanda’s not alone. Millions are bingeing these bite-sized, ultra-dramatic vertical shorts, where sexy werewolves, ruthless billionaires, and love triangles unfold one minute at a time — hooking viewers with cliffhangers and high-stakes drama.
From China’s multi-billion-dollar booming industry to your TikTok feed, these soapy, over-the-top dramas are changing the way we watch — and pay for — entertainment. This Valentine’s Day, Endless Thread explores the rise and Americanization of vertical short dramas.
Show notes:
- “Werewolf Billionaire CEO Husbands Are Taking Over Hollywood” (Rolling Stone)
- “Minute-Long Soap Operas Are Here. Is America Ready?” (The New York Times)
- “2024 Short Drama Overseas Marketing White Paper” (TikTok)
This content was originally created for audio. An auto-generated transcript is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Heads up that some elements (i.e. music, sound effects, tone) are harder to translate to text.
